Band: Stairwell Collapse

The following interview was conducted by the MC7C duo and posted for this page. Do not copy+paste this; direct link to it, instead!





INTERVIEW


Did you grow up in Hampton Roads? If so, what cities? ah yes, the days of little us running the streets of hampton roads haha. I (Rick) grew up in virginia beach and Mike in chesapeake. We have spent a lot of time in Richmond VA which is considered a second home to us.

Describe your music to someone who has never heard it. imagine the sounds of water buffalo in mating season ;) honestly its just rock music, there are a ton of different labels out there for genres these days, some would say we are indie because we do have a more melodic sound. If you havn't heard us, you should check it out and let us know how you would describe it! We do have parts that feel intense but we bring it back with familiar hooks and layered vocals that sound like "the voice of a thousand angels" or so we have been told haha.

What's the writing process for your music? Do the lyrics come first? Does the music come first? Who does what? Well, we usually write a guitar riff and record it, not sure what part it is going to be in a song yet. Since we have previously written all of our songs with just the two of us, we don't have access to live drums so we use a drum sequencer on the computer to write a beat to said guitar riff. We usually play with a few ideas musically, mike will come up with a melody for the part and hums it out over the recording, lyrics usually come later. That is when we decide where the part will go in a song, because we get a good idea of the feel it has. From there we start building around it and months later, a song is born! haha.



Do you have an albums / demos / merch / releases available to purchase? Where can you buy them? Shirts! We do have shirts.. but our self-titled E.P will be added to that list of merch very soon! We have spent the last few months recording our debut E.P and cannot wait to share it with the world :) There isn't a confirmed release date but, we are hoping for the end of this month or the beginning of september. Our merch site is http://www.scmerch.bigcartel.com/ and a little known fact about the elephant shirt..there is a hidden animal on it!

What is your most crazy show story? (Any naked women running around? Drunk bar fights?)

Hmm.. we have yet to see any show nudity or UFC re-enactments but we did have a pretty funny encounter with a drunk guy. Back before we had live members to play full band shows, we used to tour playing an acoustic set of our music. On with the story, we were playing a show at the Norva in Norfolk, VA. Our friend/photographer for the night (who we will refer to as The Dark Knight) had a few too many drinks. So we were playing the last song in our set, and i started to hear an off time tambourine coming from behind us. Then out of the corner of my eye i see The Dark Knight on stage with us wielding a tambourine (we have no idea where he got it from). It was a great moment in our band history, i think the crowd was actually cheering for him at the end of our set haha. He actually hung out with us at the merch table that night and probably signed more shirts than we did ;)



How much do you think hype affects the public perception of what good music is?

I think hype affects people in different ways. Some people blindly follow the trends of popular music while others dislike something just because it is hyped up and there are the people who are indifferent. I think the words hype, mainstream, etc. are bad for the industry because they have an auto-shut off effect on some people. Instead, i suggest we use the word Disney. Example: "Hey that song is Disney!". meaning, the kids will like it. Have I lost you yet? haha, it was a studio thing, a whole different story :)

How would you like to see the local music scene change? (venues, fans, other bands)

Locally the music scene has been ruled by metal/hardcore shows for the past few years, but we have been seeing more and more non-metal bands forming in the area which could lead to less fights and more hugs ;) I guess something we would like to see is more people going to shows, we love meeting new friends!

What's up for the band in 2008? ( a tour, album?) First priority is to release our cd that we have been working on, it is in it's final stages so it shouldn't be long! Then we plan on getting a live band together again so we can tour extensively to promote the new cd :) But we will be writing new material this year as well, so who knows!



What local bands and artists do you recommend? We would have to recommend our friends in Conditions, they put on an amazing show, plus they are super cool dudes. Definitely have to recommend Yearling as well, we recorded our cd with Sid (the singer), and Mike (the drummer) played the live drums on our recordings.

What are your favorite venues to play at? How would you like to see the available venues to change when booking shows? (better sound / lights/ pay/ promotions) The Norva definitely holds a special place in our hearts, the atmosphere is amazing and it even has a hot tub backstage! I feel that the local venues are doing a good job, tons of promotion is definitely key to making a sucessful venue.

How do you market your music to the public? What seems to work best for you for letting people know about your shows? (Myspace/ the paper / word of mouth) As of now we just promote via myspace and word of mouth. Myspace has been a huge help to our band by enabling us to share our music with people around the world. It is also a great tool for booking out of town shows on your own, before it was very difficult unless you had a manager.

What is your current favorite song? I guess i would have to say Oubiette by The Receiving End of Sirens, and i'm going to say the entire Death Cab for Cutie discography for Mike haha.



Last CD bought, downloaded or stole? It's been a while but the last one was Number One Gun, the north pole project. And that was bought... with stolen money! (only kidding)

Quote us your favorite song lyrics. (please include who it is by) "p-p-p-pull up to the bumper babayyy" by Grace Jones vs. Funkstar Deluxe

What came first, the music or the misery? Explain. I actually thought about this for a second and had an answer. Then I decided to google the phrase, so i'll go with "what is We're high fashion, we're last chances" for 500.

What do you think of what MC7C does? How would you make it better? Have you been to any of our events? We have not been to any of your events yet, but maybe this interview will bring us together :D Great job guys, helping keep the music scene alive! We love you all


Links


Stairwell Collapse @ myspace

Band: The Pawnshoplifters

The following feature was conducted by k@t and compiled by Gabe. Please do not copy+paste this; direct link to this feature! Give us credit for our work!

Now...it's cowboy hat time, with the Pawnshoplifters.



.Bio.

The Pawnshoplifters arrived on the scene in 2006. Roots Rock, Country, Americana, call it what you will. We just play what comes natural, and what most of us were brought up on as kids (wether we wanted to or not!) Having a great appreciation of real country and honkeytonk, the PSL's take from those genres the art of story telling. A hard edged approach to country, and a blue collar mentality, the PSL's deliver passionate, colorful tunes that go hand in hand with the stereo in your f-150.

.INTERVIEW.

(Questions answered by Wendell Johnson)

Did you grow up in Hampton Roads? If so, what cities? What high schools?

We all 3 grew up in Tidewater. Jeff and I went to Great Bridge. Alan went to Booker T washington

Describe your music to someone who has never heard it.

Hard edged Hillbilly Hoedowns!

What is your most crazy show story? (Any naked women running around? Drunk bar fights?)

Wow, crazy story.....we're all vets of the scene. We try to rock as hard as we can, and have a few beers and go home to our wives.



How would you like to see the local music scene change? (venues, fans, other bands)How do you think we can solve the problems we are having with venues doing little to NO promoting of shows, not paying the bands much, lack of good sound systems, and other issues?

Well, i've battled this since i was 16. I think it starts with the bands. Good, quality bands doing shows together and creating a cool place to see a show. There are a couple of places that have great shows regularly. And attendance is quite good. So, I think it starts there. We don't have real venues that just concentrate on having music. VA law requires a venue to sell a certain amount of food with alcohol, so they have that to worry about. So in that case, the Venue really has no time or money to promote shows. I think myspace has done a tremendous amount for getting the word out on bands. And having accurate websites that give updates is also crucial. It's space age baby!

What's up for the band in 2008? ( a tour, album?)

Our record comes out in JAn, with a release show @ the Taphouse on Feb 9th. Touring will be as far as we want to drive..

What local bands and artists do you recommend?

Recommend? thats a strange choice of words...like a dr. recommending pennicilin for vd. LOL I recommend the PSL's for your rash ma'm. All kidding aside, locally we like 1888 a lot. Brad recorded our record at his Clay garden Studio. They are doing some interesting stuff as a band. Rylo, Action Habit, Jason Manfreddi..the list goes on. I think when we can sense passion in a bands set, it always gets attention. Well, passion and songwriting ability...



What are your favorite venues to play at? How would you like to see the available venues to change when booking shows?
(better sound / lights/ pay/ promotions)

Any place that people come to see original music. The Taphouse, Hells Kitchen, Jew Mo's.

Who primarily writes the songs? Is there a certain process or does it come out during practice?

I write the songs, and I make demos to give the guys, and we get together and hash em out!

How do you market your music to the public? What seems to work best for you for letting people know about your shows?
(Myspace/ the paper / word of mouth)

All three are very practical in getting your music out. Myspace, like I said is a huge tool in getting music out there.



Finish these statements:

"You know you've made it when..."

cows fly out of my arse. we get to play our songs that we write in front of alot of people, and they have a great time, and sing them back to us.. I think that's "making it" in the music industry.

"It'll be time to pack up the gear for good when..."

never. We all enjoy it too much . You can always play music on some level, as long as yer standing.

"I'll never forget the first time I..."

heard some of the music genre descriptions these days... they get more and more ridiculous. It's freakin rock baby!



Let's have some fun with word association. Give me your immediate feelings on the following
(if you've got no discernable feelings, make something up that won't embarrass you in the morning)

Pembroke Area aka Downtown Virginia Beach-Downtown Virginia Beach?

No such thing.

The Oceanfront-

No such thing. Used to be a Haven for music...now it's just sad.

Granby Street- (in Cajun man tone)

Solution....revitalization!

Portfolio Weekly-

sure, what 's the alternative...

Independent Music Stores / Businesses / Restaurants-

Persistant

Mount Trashmore-

Tidewater's hillside.

Best Venue-

The Taphouse, it gets rawkus!

Worst Venue-

street corner

Best Kept Secret-

fluffer nutter. marshmellow creme and peanut butter.

Pungo-

backwoods. love it.

Favorite Dive Bar-

I don't have the time..used to be the ghent inn.

What's the most played song on your iPod (or an equivalent music playing device) in the past week?

our new record, listening to different mixes and mastering.



Who would be in your ultimate music supergroup, your all-star Olympic team of rock?

oh god....all the dead ones.

What came first, the music or the misery? Explain.

Well music changed after the misery, so music. But music that's miserable just because it's trendy, is just miserable.




.Links.

Official myspace page
Official web home

Band: Action Habit

(the following feature was written by MC7C. Please give us the proper credit we deserve and copy the link location and not copy and paste.
THANKS!)
BACKGROUND

Norfolk based, Action Habit, is a combination of garage rock and punk. They are by no means a typical "garage rock" band. If you're a fan of the Rolling Stones, The Pixies, The Who, or The Stooges, then you will be a fan of Action Habit. Anthony Torres, fronts the band with his tasty lyrics and mesmerizing guitar riffs. Dave Voightritter and Dany Magee round out the trio with their solid drum and bass lines, which create a unique sound. Playing at almost every venue in the Hampton Roads area, they have pounded out their influence in the local music scene. If you see their shows listed on a calendar, it's in your best interest to write a huge reminder on your fridge and attend!

INTERVIEW

What is your music background? Did you play instruments growing up?

All three members of the band are self taught. I myself have been obsessed with music since my occupancy in the womb. It is the only thing that has always been there for me, and quite frankly the only thing I trust. I picked up the guitar in the 80's and have been sleeping with it ever since.



Where did the name The Action Habit come from? How did the band get together?

The name came from a 1950's flyer about being a successful salesman using the "Action Habit" method. The flyer was found in the storage room of an old downtown business in Norfolk. It still hangs in my living room. I think people need to take more action in this world and stop being so content and complacent.
All of us had been in other bands, but were seeking new avenues to travel down. I am the only original member left, but Dany and Dave have been the Action Habit rhythm section for six years now.

Growing up, how did music play a role in your childhood/adolescence?

I could always depend on music my whole life. I could always put the needle on any number of records and that magic would always be there. I always had music by my side but never dreamed of actually playing it until punk/post punk happened in my world.

What other activities / things do you enjoy doing when not playing music?

I like reading and photography and seeking out great bands. Dave and Dany are both married. Yes, I am the single one. Dave handles IT duties for a local media station, and Dany is a teacher.



Who are your favorite musicians?

I can't bear the thought of leaving anyone out by answering this. There are too many important artists for me to pick a handful. I love great songwriters.the Beatles, Stones, Dylan, Pj Harvey, the Who, Guided by Voices, Echo and the Bunnymen, Neil Young, Velvet Underground, Big Star and so on…



How would you describe your music to people?

I always say it's kind of noisy pop mixed with a hint of prog rock.

Are you happy with the direction the band is going right now? What is the current goal of the band?

We are all pretty happy with the band. The current goal is to just finish mixing the record we have been working on and hopefully have it out by the end of the year. Then we can do more East Coast touring.



How do you balance your music with your other parts of life (job, family)?

It gets real hard sometimes. Lucky for me, I am playing with two of the most dedicated people I have ever been in a band with. If it's in your soul, you make time for the band.

What is the greatest compliment anyone has ever paid to you regarding your art work? What about the greatest insult? How should an artist respond to such compliments and insults? Is it easier to talk about the compliment or the insult?

The greatest compliment I can think of is the people who come to almost every show. The repeat supporters really make it worthwhile. I can think of no certain insults. Most people keep that to themselves anyway. Music is so subjective. You are always going to have people that are at a club and are not digging your sound. That kind of makes you want to play harder and put it in their face.
I can't tell other people how to handle opinions. Everyone has them, and everyone thinks they have the right one. Instinct is still best.



What causes artistic blocks? What do you do to solve them?

Life. I think any stress causes writers block. Relationships, jobs, health. The thing to do is to take that energy and make a song out of it. Don't let the negative emotion get the best of you. Use your art as a reflection of yourself.

If you could play a show with any band, past or present, who would it be? What music would you want them to perform?

The Who with Keith Moon on drums. I would want them to play the whole catalog.

What are trying to do to people with your art? Inspire them? Move them? Educate them?

I do this for me. If people want to come along for the ride, that's great. If I somehow inspire someone to start something positive and creative, then that's way more than I ever could have imagined when I picked up that guitar the first time. There is no secret message to this. I believe you should do your art with intensity. I don't mean volume, but with real emotion. If you are in it for other reasons, you need to question your validity.

Where do you see the band in the next few years?

All I could ask for is that we are constantly moving forward with new ideas and thoughts. I want to always be pushing the envelope of our capabilities.



How would you like to see the local music scene change? (venues, fans, other bands) Do we need to have better venues? Better ways of booking shows? Which way do you find best to get fans to come out to shows? (word of mouth / internet / flyers)

The problem that this area has always had is support of local music. The clubs don't want to pay the bands well. The clubs rarely do promotion. No flyers or radio spots. Local radio needs to support this more as well. We need more local music shows on radio. We need local record stores to push the regional bands more. Go to any major city and they will have and spotlight regional talent. Clubs should invest in a PA system. That is a great incentive for bands to play in their clubs. Once a band has to pay a PA rental, and a support band, they are left with very little money. When a band plays for the door money, that's all they get. They are totally at the mercy of the consumer. It really makes me angry when fellow musicians ask to be on the guest list. They should know that the only income we get comes from the cover charge. It's hard work maintaining
a band and loading in equipment, and giving it your all for 2 hours, only to have to break down everything , pack it up and hopefully be in bed by 3am. No matter how broke I am I will always pay to see a local band. If I can't afford it, I stay home.
We need to have more clubs booking original music. It's real pathetic that clubs pay a cover band so much more than an original band. I understand that most consumers just want to go out and get drunk and dance to the latest sounds, but the clubs have a responsibility to the local art community as well. Give the people some variety. Make something happen.
Sorry for the rant.
I cannot say enough great things about the MC7C organization. This is a major step in this area. I would love for more people to get involved with you to really bring positive results to this area. Artists need to protect their rights. They need someone like you to help them form a community. This area has always worked against each other instead of everyone taking it to the streets for the good of all. With the MC7C, we now have a forum to bring ideas and change to this area. I find that exciting. Get involved people! Every little bit helps.

LINKS:
Action Habit Myspace
Action Habit Dot Com

Check out this video: Deal With It



Add to My Profile | More Videos

Band: Freedom Hawk

The following feature was conducted by k@t and compiled by -Gabe-. DO NOT copy+paste! Please direct link to this feature!

And now, the local fuzz masters themselves....Freedom Hawk!



:BIO:

This is the story behind the chemistry of Freedom Hawk. It started with T.R. and Mark in 1996, two guys that met through a mutual friend who played music.In 2000 they got a four track and started to record their jams.

They met Lenny, a drummer through a mutual friend in 2004 and started playing with him. Mark's brother Matt came in 2005 and joined as the 2nd guitarist. They recorded a demo that tightened up four songs and showed them the way to tighten up the rest.

The first name they came up with was Down Green Well, which came from where they practiced. The band name eventually morphed into Freedom Hawk.

Freedom Hawk is 4 Band members that grew up as friends and family that have played music together for years. Since 2005 they have been playing gigs and recording. They have toured and shared the stage with many national, regional and local recording/touring acts to include - Year Long Disaster, ASG, Throttlerod, The Needles, Beaten Back to Pure, Wooly Mammoth, Thunderlip and many more.




:INTERVIEW:

What is your music background? Did you play instruments growing up?

70s rock, 80s punk, 90s grunge and ROCK!! Mark played tenor saxaphone in Jr. High and bass later, Matt was musically trained on guitar, sax, and lite piano growing up and took guitar in college, TR bought a guitar and Lenny played drums in other bands - his music influence was beating on stuff until it made a cool ring in his ears

Growing up, how did music play a role in your childhood/adolescence?

An escape from reality..or something to help expand the creative instincts. Mark played tenor saxaphone in Jr. High, Matt was musically trained growing up and took guitar in college, TR bought a guitar and Lenny played drums in other bands - his music influence was beating on stuff til it made a cool ring in his ears

What other activities / things do you enjoy doing when not playing music?(hobbies, crafts, events, eating, family)

Surfing, skateboarding, snowboarding, live music, rock shows, almost anything..

Who are your favorite musicians?
Lots. You can hear the influence in our music...

How did the band start? Who had the idea and why?

The band started in 2002 but officially when Lenny our drummer came in...we were just a jam band at first but got our act together when our friends and family convinced us to get out of the studio/jam room. TR, Mark and Matt had been playin together off and on since 1996 but we could never find a good drummer or other musicians that wanted to go in the direction or get the vibe we were flowin...

How would you describe your music to people?

Raw, Loud, High Energy Powerful Rock with Soul that makes you groove - Power Groove Rock!

Are you happy with the direction the band is going right now? What is the current goal of the band?

Yes. Tour the East Coast and Record more music and write more music.

How do you balance your music with your other parts of life (job, family)?

It's difficult, but we are flexible with scheduling and balance very carefully.

Growing up, did you want to be a rockstar or did you consider other careers?

No. Professional skateboarder, surfer and Matt wanted to be a proffesional musician since age 13. Everyone wants to be a rockstar but we are gounded in the sense we have careers/jobs and stuff...playing music is a way for us to relieve stress of life first and foremost!

What is the greatest compliment anyone has ever paid to you regarding your art work? What about the greatest insult? How should an artist respond to such compliments and insults? Is it easier to talk about the compliment or the insult?

Everyone keeps coming out to see us perform, our CD is stuck in their car player and more people keep coming and coming. Our fans and people that truly/genuinely support us is our biggest compliment. This truly makes us humble we are so gratefull...we are our own worst critics!! Another is getting recognition from nationally recognized bands right under the corporate radar in the indie rock scene. Unfortunately it's easy to dwell on the negative and insults but that just motivates us more... we like low expectations from the outside because its easier to blow people away and suprise! No respect is what we like because when our blood gets boiling, we go off! The greatest insult would be critizing TR for using a little effects on his voice and saying that is the reason he sounds so good!

What causes artistic blocks? What do you do to solve them?

Monotony. Listen to all kinds of music. Play through it, take a break and let time wear it off...just don't dwell on the negative.

If you could play a show with any band, past or present, who would it be? What music would you want them to perform?

Led Zepplin - Song remains the Same or Kyuss - All of it. Also, Black Sabbath or Clutch.

Tell us about shooting your music video? What it what you thought shooting a music video would be like? What do you hope to accomplish with it? What inspired it?

Our friend Mark Fussell from Guitar Center did it and he just filmed us live playing and added some other content, edited and it came out great - Universal - check it out on our myspace site.

What are trying to do to people with your art? Inspire them? Move them? Educate them?

Entertain them and have fun. Feel the vibe..put the soul back in rock n' roll.

Where do you see the band in the next few years?

On a label and major tour.

How would you like to see the local music scene change? (venues, fans, other bands) Do we need to have better venues? Better ways of booking shows? Which way do you find best to get fans to come out to shows? (word of mouth / internet / flyers)

Better venues and more people, businesses etc that support and are open minded to original music to overcome the monotony and monopoly of corporate radio. Also, having a booking agent, because booking is a lot of work...



:WEBLINKS:

Official Page
Official Myspace Page

Freedom Hawk also reccommends these sites :

www.undersound.com
www.purevolume.com
www.download.com

Band: Bully

Continuing our ALL female artist month, we interviewed ALL female band Bully!
Hope you enjoy it!
(please give us the credit we deserve and do not copy+paste this article, instead direct link to it!)

Who is Bully?

Anita Ibanez - Vocals
Teresa Huffman - Guitar/Vocals
Marty Randall - Bass/Vocals
Beverly Elliot - Drums

Interview:

What is your music background? Did you play instruments growing up?

Anita- I grew up in a musical family, my father was in the Air Force band, my mother was a singer and my brother is a musician, and my sis is just a great artist.
Marty-In high school, I took classical music, can play the violin, and bass. Bev-I grew up in a musical family, father plays in a band and has played ever since I was a baby
Teresa-I was a band geek from middle school through high school.

Growing up, how did music play a role in your childhood/adolescence?

When music is a part of your life growing up, it becomes second nature almost an instinct of destiny so to speak, it was a different experience for all of us, but the desire was the same.



What other activities / things do you enjoy doing when not playing music?

Anita-I like to draw, write, and hang out with my friends and family.
Marty-I run my own screen printing business so I am very busy with that, but when I do have time, I like to draw, write music and spend time with my family.
Bev-I spend time with my family and hang with my friends.
Teresa-I like to write music, spend time with my family and friends

Who are your favorite musicians?

Anita- there are so many for me, I love Mikael Akerfeld from Opeth, female vocalists of metal, nevermore, nightwish, leaves eyes, kataklysm, scar symmetry, I could really go on forever....
Marty-I love so many as well, just to name a few...Hell Yeah, Bloodsimple, Shadows Fall, Chimaira, Megadeth, Alice in Chains, and etc.
Bev-I have a wide range of favorites: Johnny Cash, Fall Out Boy, White Stripes, and the list does go on!
Teresa- Veruca Salt, The Ramones, Chevelle, Corrosion of Conformity, Judas Priest, AC/DC, Motograter, 10 Years, Ra, and Garbage.



How did the band start? Who had the idea and why?

Bev and Teresa, who both played in a band together previously, started BULLY with Jason Campen in 2003. They went looking for a bass player and vocalist. Teresa's husband worked with Marty at the time and kept asking her to try out for the band. But at the time, Marty was playing in another band. I had been in a band with Jason and Bev before and it just so happened they found me at the David Lee Roth/Sammy Hagar concert and asked me if I was interested. Marty and I went in to try out at the same time and joined. Jason soon left the band and we decided to remain 4 girls and go on from there. We started out kind of slow, but we got some songs together and had our first show three months later…history from there.



How would you describe your music to people?

Hard Rock/Metal, our music is a mixture of both. We have melodic vocals and at times very doomish guitar riffs. We write in our own style and try not to be so cookie cutter. Sometimes, people do not know what genre to put us in and that is awesome.



Bully is an all female band. What kind of reaction have you received from the local art community because you are a female band? Has there been any glass ceiling for you? Have you ever been treated differently because you are all women?

The first reaction we receive is always, "They are pop girly girls who don't know how to play hard". But every time we are done with our set, we get the same response, "You guys are so hard, and not what we expected at all". So we are usually greeted with reservation, especially from guys. We get the 'they are just groupies' and are trying to get a date and not serious musicians. Sometimes it pisses us off, but we know that it is just because we are women.

Have you lived in Virginia originally or did you move here? Why Virginia?

Anita-I moved here in 1994 after getting out of the Marines.
Marty-I moved here from Fairfax Virginia and after getting out of the Navy
Bev and Teresa- both grew up here in Hampton roads

Are you happy with the direction the band is going right now? What is the current goal of the band?

BULLY is constantly evolving and we like the direction we are going toward; which is more of a heavier style. We do quite a bit of traveling out of town to get more exposure and try to network with different bands.



How do you balance your music with your other parts of life (job, family)?

We know we have to maintain the family life and our day jobs, and we just work hard to make time for us.

If you could play a show with any band, past or present, who would it be? What music would you want them to perform?

It is different for all of us, but we would be honored to share the stage with any "National Recording Artist" who earned their place on the stage.

Where do you see the band in the next few years?

Hopefully, on a world tour and enjoying playing and writing music for the world.



How would you like to see the local music scene change?

Better treatment toward the bands. Just because we are local, does not mean we don't deserve some respect, all national acts were at one time local.

Do we need to have better venues? Better ways of booking shows?

YES, especially at the bigger venues, we should not have to sell tickets to play.

Which way do you find best to get fans to come out to shows? (word of mouth / internet / flyers)

These days it is the internet and Myspace, but we do flyers, emails and word of mouth.

Links:

Bully dot com

Bully Myspace

for all booking go to:
Angry Joe

Band: Drowning Season

Biography

Matt -Slowikowski Vocals, Programming
Michael "Chewka" Marchewka -Guitars

Formed in early 2000, The Drowning Season is a guitar based gothic rock band based out of Baltimore, Maryland (USA). The current line-up consists of Matt Slowikowski (vocals) and Michael "Chewka" Marchewka (guitars).

October 2000 saw the recording and release of the four song MCD entitled SIX HOLLOW PERFECT THINGS. Included were the songs "Six Feet Under," "Hollow," "Perfect (Dream)," and "Common Things." These songs would later appear in remastered form on the band's first full length disc, HOLLOW.

A short time after the MCD was released the band embarked on a handful of live shows and began writing for what would become the HOLLOW CD. During this period the song "Hollow" was included on the M&A Music Art compilation ANGEL CHILD VI: THE NEED FOR SILENCE. Also included on this sampler were bands such as Star Industry, Funhouse, and Spares (ex-Children on Stun members).

The debut full length HOLLOW was released in June 2002 on the Morphenic Release imprint. The CD includes ten original songs which harken back to the days of classic guitar goth. Positive response was the norm for this disc and a large selection of its songs are still receiving both club and airplay around the world. In support of this release, frequent live appearances to hone the musically more aggressive live set also took place. Live ventures included performances playing alongside scene favorites like The Cruxshadows, The Mission UK, Voltaire, Gene Loves Jezebel, Stromkern, and Tapping the Vein.

Through the middle of 2003 the members continued to write, record, perform, and promote themselves in preparation for future offerings.

The year 2004 brought the release of a new three song EP titled NEW DISEASE. The EP once again showcased the brand of rock influenced goth forged on the earlier releases. The band quickly returned to live activity. The Last Dance, The Start, and The Cruxshadows were among the high profile acts they would share the stage with during this series of shows. Around the same time, mid 2004, the song "Hollow" would again be featured on a compilation CD. This time on the Cop International issued DARK AWAKENING VOLUME 4. Building on the momentum of the new line-up, as well as both the DARK AWAKENING comp and NEW DISEASE EP becoming available, the members finished up the year playing out as much as possible.

Interview

What is your music background? Did you play instruments growing up?

I've always loved music. The first album I ever owned was Kiss, "Rock and Roll Over," and the second was Kiss, "Destroyer." I pretended to be Gene Simmons around the house and dreamed of being on stage someday. Now I'm on stage and dream I had Gene Simmons' money.

I started taking guitar lessons at age five and quit at five and a half. I must have figured out then that electronic gadgets would come along someday and revolutionize the way made music. I've tried to learn to play guitar several times since then but I've learned to let those who can play do it and to be happy writing the drums, bass, synth lines and lyrics to songs instead.

Growing up, how did music play a role in your childhood/adolescence?

Music was everything, but even that's not saying enough. Music touches some people differently than others, not just specific types of music but music in general. If you have the passion to write and express yourself through music, then you must find the way to do it. Like I said before, throughout my childhood/adolescence I wanted to make music, but it wasn't until I was in my early 20's and I was in an electronics based band that I learned how to write music using a keyboard, drum machine and sequencer.


What other activities / things do you enjoy doing when not playing music?

I love video games, especially those on the Playstation 3. I also read lots of Batman comics and collect Batman related stuff (ie, action figures). Yes, I'm a geek.

Who are your favorite musicians?

Michael "Chewka" Marchewka is the Full Blown Stallone on guitar! If I didn't say that he'd kill me. My all time favorite bands would be three old guitar gothic rock bands: The Sisters of Mercy, The Mission UK, and Fields of the Nephilim. After that the list gets pretty long, but let's say that most of the bands on that list make music that sounds exactly like those first three bands!

How did the band start? Who had the idea and why?

In the late 80's / early 90's I sang in a thrash / death metal band called "Wreckage." We evolved into a goth rock band called "The Drowning Season." We released two demos in 1991 and 1992. Eventually the band split up but the members remained friends. Years passed and I had written some new material that I shared with my old guitarist, Tim, from The Drowning Season. We decided to reform the group, record a new demo, and find a second guitarist to perform live. Justin joined the band and we played many shows, even opening for The Mission UK in Washington, DC. In 2002 we recorded a full-length album called "Hollow" that received rave reviews worldwide. Juston decided to leave the band and was replaced by Michael "Chewka" Marchewka (aka Full Blown Stallone). We wrote new material, toured, and in 2004 recorded an EP entitled "New Disease." Tim then quit the band. Meanwhile Chewka met and married the lovely Alisha who joined the band as our first live bass player / first female member. Alisha's live bass sound added a driving punch to our music, but alas it was short lived, because she and Chewka were to learn that they were expecting a baby. Alisha has put down her bass for now, and we're not sure if / when she'll return for more sonic punishment. Meanwhile Chewka and I have slowly been pounding out new songs, playing live dates, and recording the next full-length CD, entitled "Curse."

How would you describe your music to people?

It's definitely guitar-based gothic rock. If people have never heard of The Sisters or Nephilim, they may have no idea what we're all about. I tell those people to go to our MySpace site or our web site and check out the tunes to make up their own minds if they like us.



Are you happy with the direction the band is going right now? What is the current goal of the band?

Yes, definitely. We're really happy, the only thing that would make us happier would be for someone to dump a truckload of money at our door so that we could finish up "Curse." I want to get that CD out and then look into creating a home studio for future releases. I've finally embraced the idea of home recording, so that would be the next major goal, setting up something in-house.

How do you balance your music with your other parts of life?

It's extremely hard at times, I'll be honest. I'm married, with a child, and Chewka has a wife and small son at home as well. We both work full-time jobs and finding the time to write music and practice isn't always easy. But I guess if it was easy then we wouldn't want it so much.

Growing up, did you want to be a rockstar or did you consider other careers?

I've always wanted to be what I am today: a rock and roll legend. Listen kids, you too can have the magical life I'm leading, just close your eyes and pretend to be a rock star. There you go!

What is the greatest compliment anyone has ever paid to you regarding your art work? What about the greatest insult? How should an artist respond to such compliments and insults? Is it easier to talk about the compliment or the insult?

I think that when people tell us we're great or want our autographs, those are compliments of the highest kind. That's really more meaningful to me anyway. I don't do this for money, so when someone says that they really like a song I've written it means a lot to me.

There's been insults too, especially when comparing our music to that of the bands who were our greatest influence (Sisters, Mission, Nephilim). My favorite insult was when someone called me a "fat Wayne Hussey" (he's the singer for The Mission UK). You couldn't be more right, you bastard!

Learn to accept the compliments with humility and to laugh at the insults. It's easy to talk about both when you remember that ultimately both are opinions and that opinions really are like assholes, everybody has one.

What causes artistic blocks? What do you do to solve them?

God does. S/he hates artists and causes mental constipation. I don't know! If I knew what caused artistic blocks I'd never have had the million or so that I've had, or will have. When that happens I usually walk away from things for awhile. It's pointless to beat a dead horse, so to speak. When you're ready, go back to your instrument of choice and mess around, with no clear expectation or demand on yourself. You'll soon find one or two things that you like, and then things will move along nicely again. If not, blame God.

If you could play a show with any band, past or present, who would it be? What music would you want them to perform?

I would probably want to open for The Sisters, Mission, and Nephilim when they were in their heyday, performing the songs of that time. A time when gothic rock was still considered new and these young bands fired up the fog machines and encouraged audiences to "Tune in...Turn on...Burn out..." It was gonzo amphetamine filth with drum machines turned up to eleven. It was something that will never be again.


What are trying to do to people with your art? Inspire them? Move them? Educate them?

All of the above. Inspire them to move on the dance floor and educate them that our CDs are only $5 each. We want people to check out our band live because most local live bands suck and we do not. We want people to check out our music because we're damn good at what we do, which is, write solid rock songs. We're not egotistical, we're just honest. And old. Old and honest.

Where do you see the band in the next few years?

In the basement of my home, recording music for those who enjoy good old school gothic rock. On the stage, playing for ten or ten thousand, depending on whether it's in a bar in Baltimore or at a dark music festival in Europe. Hopefully it will be a little bit of everything with lots of fog and pharmaceuticals along the way.

How would you like to see the local music scene change? Do we need to have better venues? Better ways of booking shows? Which way do you find best to get fans to come out to shows?

I think that the local scene will forever change, like music itself. Clubs will come and go, like styles of music. Some places that you think will be there forever will disappear overnight. We need more venues, sure, but more cool places like The Lo-Fi Social Club in Baltimore, not places that make you sell tickets to play there, so that you make money for the club owners at the expense of the band. Screw that!

MySpace gets allot of crap for being what it is, but for bands, especially for our band, it's been really good. We've met club promoters and booked shows through MySpace and we hope to do more in the future.

Getting fans out is another story. An internet site is only one part, you've got to get to them personally. Flyers are good, but the clubs mostly handle that aspect.

Don't play places that make you sell tickets or worry you about how many people your band can draw, and you won't have that worry on your shoulders. You'll find that more people will freely come out to support you when they don't feel pressured to buy tickets in advance. Just keep playing clubs and you'll make new fans and build on your fan base that way as well. Good luck!

Links

Drowning Season Dot Com

Drowning Season Myspace

Interview: Duburbia

[The following interview was conducted by k@t, posted-n-shined by Gabe. It's an interview done with Nick Clark, the guitar player of Duburbia. Enjoy...]

Duburbia is the premier dub/rock band from the Virginia Beach/Norfolk area in Hampton Roads, Virginia. Duburbia has been entertaining the crowds with their original style of reggae and rock fusion for several years now. The music draws on the vast musical interests and influences including punk, funk, hip-hop, blues, rock, and reggae as well as the beach oriented attitude of the band.

Duburbia formed in early 2004 when Jay Kelly, Nick Clark, Matt Maxwell, and Mike Berlind all got together for the first time to play music. Singer Jay and Guitarist Nick had been in a band together in the mid '90s and had both been struggling to form a solid band since. Matt was introduced to the two through mutual friend and former bassist Ben Grillo. With Matt on bass, the three found drummer Mike though an ad at the local music store Alpha Music. Duburbia stepped on stage for the first time at a Norfolk hole in the wall bar called Paulette's Outer Banks. It was a very special show for the band because they got to play with one of their favorite bands and biggest influences, the band Bargain Music, from Long Beach, CA. Duburbia quickly took over the local music scene and played at every venue they could get into. Bringing in keyboardist Chris Jones, Duburbia rose through the ranks and began getting the best local gigs at the best local venues including The Jewish Mother, The Beach Club, The Peppermint Beach Club, Club Excess, and The Norva. They also shared the stage with many of their favorite bands such as Long Beach Short-Bus (members of Sublime), Slightly Stoopid, Pepper, Fishbone, HR of Bad Brains, Authority Zero, The MisFits, The Expendables, Badfish (Sublime Tribute Band), The Phunk Junkies, as well as many others.

>Duburbia self-released their first album, 'The Situation,' in Oct. of 2004. About a year after the release, Chris Jones left the band and was replaced by keyboardist Jason Campen in Sep. of '05. With Jason ..s, Duburbia recorded their second self-released album, 'One More Brick For Babylon.' The recording sessions for this one were long, drawn out, and meticulous, but the band was very pleased with their final outcome. 'One More Brick…' was released in Nov. of '06. The year of '07 found much change within the band. Nick left the band in late '06 and was replaced by Diego. Duburbia added an extra touch to the mix with percussionist, Fred, and MC Big Rob. Mike then left the band in Sep. of '07, along with Diego. DJ Smith stepped in to add a new style on drums, and Nick returned on guitar. Duburbia hit the stage again with a strong performance on New Year's Eve at Jillian's Waterside in Downtown Norfolk. Duburbia has come back stronger than ever in the first part of '08 and is looking forward to the future.

Did you grow up in Hampton Roads? If so, what cities?

I was born in here in Virginia. I lived in Virginia Beach when i was first born but moved around alot soon after. Before I was 7 I had lived in California and Georgia, as well as returning to Virginia Beach in between and after. When I was 7 I moved to Antigua, a small island in the Carribean. I moved to Bermuda, another tropical island in the Atlantic, durring my High School Years. When I graduated, I moved back to Virginia Beach and have, for the most part, lived in Virginia Beach or Norfolk ever since. Of the original members of the band, only drummer Mike Berlind and I originated in Virginia. Lead singer, Jay Kelly, was born in Mass. but made his was to Virginia by the mid eighties. Jay lived in Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, and Norfolk, but mainly called Ocean View home. Bassist Matt Maxwell was born and grew up in Pennslyvania and moved to Virginia Beach around 99. He now lives in Norfolk.

Describe your music to someone who has never heard it.

Reggae is a huge part of what Duburbia is all about. Good friend Rich Elkins described the sound as 'Rude Boy Reggae.' We take the reggae influence and mix in all of the other sounds bouncing around in our heads. You can hear tinges of punk rock, hard rock, hip hop, blues, and a blend of many other genres.


What's the writing process for your music? Do the lyrics come first? Does the music come first? Who does what?

Every song comes about differently. At the begining, Jay and I brought in both songs that we each individually wrote and some that we wrote together. As we formed into a real band, we began to collaborate durring the writing process, with all memebers adding in. We still, however, wrote every song in different ways. Sometimes Jay would come in with lyrics, and we would come up with music to match. Other times we would come up with all the music and Jay would either match lyrics he already had or write lyrics for the music. Sometimes Jay would come in with a song pretty much done, and we would put the finishing touches on it. Sometimes I would come in with a fully finished song. And still other times we would all write a song together, with the lyrics and music all combining at once.

Do you have an albums / demos / merch / releases available to purchase? Where can you buy them?

We released our first self produced album in October of 2004. We had one recorded song before that in '03, but it was before we had officially become Duburbia. We recorded a highly Dubbed out version of our song 'Warrior' with good friend Jaboo on drums at his 'Humble Ark' studio (Dub is a mixture of reggae and psychodelia with spacey echoes, reverb, and other effects). But our first official Duburbia release was 'The Situation' in '04. This was recorded by Dave Maggi at Grasshopper Studios in Chesapeak. In '05 we recorded a version of Sublime's 'Slow Ride' for a tribute album also at Grasshopper Studios. After that, we went in to Soul Haven Studios in Virginia Beach to record our next album. We spent many sessions over a long time to finally produce the album 'One More Brick For Babylon' which was released in Nov. '06. Tim Roberts recorded and produced this album, and we were very happy with the final product. Along the way we put out many T-shirts, beer coozies, stickers, magnets, and other various merchandise sold at our shows. Currently we are sold out of all merchandise, including 'The Situation' and the second pressing of 'One More Brick For Babylon'. However, you can download our songs from our myspace page (www.myspace.com/duburbia). You can also contact us through that page and I will personally respond and send MP3 copies of all our songs if you so request.

What is your most crazy show story? (Any naked women running around? Drunk bar fights?)

We have had too many crazy shows to narrow it down to just one. Duburbia has seen many bar fights, broken windows, flying chairs, naked girls on stage, broken noses and bones, pot smoke wofting from the guitar amp, police coming to break up the party only to join in on the fun, broken tables, jelous boyfriends watching their girl dance onstage, and just about anything you could think of and more that you could never imagine. A couple particular incidents I can think of right off hand include Jay tackeling someone by jumping off the stage only to realise they were good friends and the infamous Jay throwing a beer onstage at Eric Wilson (bassist for Sublime).

How much do you think hype affects the public perception of what good music is?

Having a good energetic front man is crucial in getting the crowd involved. When you can get the crowd into it, you have a good show. Many times as musicians we have left the stage feeling our performance was less than stellar, yet fan after fan telling us how good the show was. And, of course, add alcohol to the fans and the band gets much better.


How would you like to see the local music scene change? (venues, fans, other bands)

Local Venue owners and managers need to get their mind off of the almighty dollar and recognise musical tallent. Alcohol sales are definitely the driving factor in the minds of local club owners, and that has nothing to do with music. Take, for instance, the huge DC band Fugazi. They refuse to play venues or even advertise in any magazine that has anything to do with Alcohol, and they have been one of the biggest bands for over 20 years. If it was up to local club owners here, Fugazi would never have been given a chance. And recently, I have noticed an onslaught of socalled Promoters here in the local area. They are brining good bands to town, but they rely on local acts to bring in the crowds by selling their own tickets. NO BAND SHOULD HAVE TO SELL THEIR OWN TICKETS to someone else's production.


What's up for the band in 2008? ( a tour, album?)

That is a good question. The future of Duburbia is unknown to even the band itself. For right now, we have one show scheduled for Aug. 14th. This very well could be the last Duburbia event, but no one knows what lies ahead in the future. (Aug. 14th @ Retro, Virginia Beach oceanfront, with D.H.H. www.myspace.com/dhhmusic, Josh Fischel from the band Bargain Music from Long Beach, CA www.myspace.com/joshfischel, and Skunk Record's artists 3rd Alley from Long Beach, CA www.myspace.com/3rdalley)

What local bands and artists do you recommend?

I play in another band, David Hasselhoff's Haircut, which is a Virginia Beach based Punk/Reggae band. Hampton Roads has always had a treasure trove of great musical acts. Good punk bands such as the Candy Snatchers and the Unibombers have been around forever. Reggae and Ska influenced bands such as Jessie Chong band, and Jackmove always put on good shows. And since we first started playing, there have been tons of rock/reggae bands crawl out of the woodwork such as 2nd Nature, 30 Sense, No Dreads, Truck, Riddim Assassins, The Flash Cast, and many more. Ofcourse I can't forget the vast wealth of traditional Reggae always pumping out the Irie Vibes in the local area such as Rasta Revolution, Zion Wave, Nature's Child, Session Rockers, Jomo Pemberton and Jah Seed, and many others.

What are your favorite venues to play at? How would you like to see the available venues to change when booking shows? (better sound / lights/ pay/ promotions)

There are so many good places to play around here. Sold out shows at the Norva have been some of our most energetic performances (you can see footage of one on youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF402IPeOD8) Other local venues could put some money into stage work and soundsystems, which would take alot of the burden off of local bands. It's hard to make any money when half of your paycheck goes to paying a soundguy to come out so the crowd can hear you.

How do you market your music to the public? What seems to work best for you for letting people know about your shows? (Myspace/ the paper / word of mouth)

Myspace has helped us out a whole lot. A fan started our page for us way back in '04. We have seen it go through many changes, but I believe Tilla Tequilla has been on our friends list since day one (whether that's good or bad, who's to say :-). Seriously, though, myspace has gotten us fans accross the world, which would never have happend before our band was formed. We noticed this early on when we played a show at Recher's Theater near Baltimore. We had never played anywhere in Maryland before, but as we took the stage fan's yelled and cheered and sang along to many of our songs. It was very surprising and made us feel good.

What is your current favorite song?

Honestly, my favourite song for a long time was Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton. However, now, i have really been getting into this Nofx song, Falling In Love, about a couple dying in a plane crash. It's the most romantic song i've ever heard. it honestly brings a tear to my eye if I think about it too much.

Last CD bought, downloaded or stole?

I didn't realize you can buy a cd anymore. Actually, i did recetly by a CD. It is by a British band called The Ruts and was originally released in '79. It's a great, underappreciated album and band. The Ruts were contemperaries of The Clash and The Sex Pistols but never got the same amount of fame. They have a similar sound to both of those british bands as well as The Police. It's a great album i would recomend to anyone that enjoys the punk reggae fusion sound.

Quote us your favorite song lyrics. (please include who it is by)

Nofx 'Falling in Love' -
"Blast
Oxygen Mask
Smoke filled cabin
depressurized
don't be afraid
hold on to me
we're going down
But not our love

Death
Don't seem so bad
When I'm with you
My only love
So close your eyes
Kiss me one last time
We're gonna die
But not our love"

[Links]

official myspace page of Duburbia

duburbia.com